Method and apparatus for producing fibrous material



March 19, 1968 R E. MADDOX ET AL 3,3 4,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS MATERIAL Filed Oct. 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY SmA/Le-y 59kg; BET/NEE Arrae/va/ March 19, 1968 R. E. MADDOX ET AL 3,374,075

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 7, 1965 United States Patent 3,374,075 ME'liIalOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS MATERIAL Robert Earl Maddox and Robert Edward Hengstler, Richmoud, Ind., and Stanley George Bonner, South Plainfield, N.J., assignors to Johns-Manville Corporation,

New York, N .Y., a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 493,823

Claims. (Cl. 65-6) ABSTRACT ()F THE DISCLOSURE A centrifugal rotor and gas blast mineral fiber formation and attenuation process comprising the adjustment of the distance between the source of the attenuating gas blast and the periphery of the filament forming rotor to control the diameter of the fibers produced, and means therefor comprising an adjustable rotor shaft.

This invention relates generally to the production of fibers and more particularly to the forming of glass fibers by the attenuation of centrifugally initiated filaments of molten glass. More specifically, the invention relates to a method for controlling the fineness of glass fibers and to apparatus which may be used to vary the spacing between the rotor and the attenuating means in a rotary system of fiberization so as to produce relatively fine fibers.

In the rotary or centrifugal process for forming glass fibers, a molten stream of glass is deposited on a rapidly rotating rotor provided at its periphery with a rim having a plurality of openings therein through which the molten glass issues in the form of filaments. As the filaments issue from the rotor, they are subjected to the action of a high velocity, high temperature gaseous blast to attenuate the filaments into fine diameter fibers. In this system, the rotor often comprises a relatively thin sheet metal stamping of a high temperature, chemical resistant material. After the rotor has been placed in operation and the molten glass has been deposited thereon, the temperature of the rotor changes to such a degree that there is a tendency for the rotor to Warp. This warping of the rotor changes the relative distance between the rotor and the attenuating means and detrimentally affects proper fiber formation.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a method for controlling the fineness of glass fibers and apparatus so that the position of the rotor relative to the attenuating means in a rotary system of fiberization may be adjusted during the fiberization process.

The foregoing objects are accomplished in accordance with instant invention by apparatus wherein the rotor in a rotary system of glass fiberization is mounted on an adjustable shaft which may be moved in a direction parallel to its axis of rotation while rotating. Thus, after the rotor has been placed into operation and has assumed its operational characteristics, the fibers being produced are examined, and if necessary, the rotor is repositioned relative to the attenuating means so that fibers having the desired characteristics may be produced.

The invention will be more fully understood and further objects and advantages thereof will become apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view partially in section of a portion of a rotary system of glass fiberization;

FIG. 2 is a view in section of the shaft assembly on which the rotor may be mounted;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken on the plane passing through the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view in section taken on the plane passing through the line 44 of FIG. 2.

With reference now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown suitable apparatus 10 for forming glass fibers by the rotary process. The apparatus 10 comprises a combustion housing indicated generally by the numeral 11, a rotor constructed in accordance with the present invention and indicated generally by the numeral 12, the main drive shaft 13, and an interior column 14 through which molten glass from a supply 15 is delivered to the rotor 12.

The combustion housing 11 is of generally circular configuration and is defined by a generally cylindrical exterior wall 16 and an inwardly spaced wall 17. At its uppermost end, the combustion chamber is closed by a generally annular ring-shaped plate 18 suitably joined to walls 16 and 17. The plate 18 is provided with a plurality of openings 19 for a purpose to be described later. A generally annular ring-shaped lower plate 20 is joined to the walls 16 and 17 at their lowermost extremities and has a generally annular opening 21 formed therein. A generally cylindrical inner wall 22 cooperates with the wall 17 to form a combustion chamber water jacket 23 and the wall 22 extends between and is joined to the upper and lower plates 18 and 20. Spaced outwardly from the wall 16 is a generally cylindrical wall 24, also joined to the upper and lower plates 18 and 20, and cooperating with the wall 16 to define a water jacket 25.

Between the walls 16 and 17, there is an inner refractory member 26 of ring-shaped configuration having a combustion chamber 27 which terminates in an annular opening 28 through which, as will be later described, hot products of combustion are emitted to attenuate glass filaments, projected from the rotor 12, into fibers. A combustible mixture of gases is fed into the combustion cham ber 27 through the openings 19 which lead from a gas manifold 29 secured to the plate 18. A tube 30 introduces the gases under pressure to the manifold 29. Mounting means 31 are provided for holding the apparatus in the desired position.

The shaft 13 is mounted in bearing tube 35 supported by a circular plate 36 which is connected to and supported by the upper plate 18 of the combustion housing 11. Additional supporting beams 37 cooperate to hold the bearing tube in position. The plate 36 is provided with an opening therein for receiving and supporting the tube 14 through which the molten glass, to be deposited on the rotor 12, is poured. The drive shaft 13 is separated from and supported within the tube 35 by means of spaced bearings 39. Extending from the lowermost end of the main drive shaft 13 is the inner shaft 40 to which is secured an extension 41 having two generally cylindrical sections 42 and 43 of differing outside diameter so as to form a shoulder 44. The rotor 12 has a central opening 45 so that the rotor may be positioned over the cylindrical section 42 in contact with the shoulder 44. The cylindrical section 42 is threaded so as to receive a nut 46 holding the rotor 12 against the shoulder 44. A pulley 47 secured to the shaft 13 is connected by a conventional drive belt (not shown) to a functions to rotate the shaft 13.

The shaft 13 comprises a hollow cylindrical sleeve having in the lower axial extremity thereof a cylindrical outer surface 48 on which the inner race of the bearing 39 is positioned in contact with the shoulder 49 and one axial motor (not shown) and The inner races of the bearings 39 are in frictional engagement with the surfaces 48 and 50 of the shaft 13. The outer races of the bearing 39 are secured with a frictional fit in the tube which is mounted in fixed position as explained above. Suitable end ca s 53 and 54 are provided at each axial extremity of the tube 35. Also, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the outer race of the upper bearing 39 is positioned between a shoulder in the tube 35 and the axial extremity of the end cap 54.

The inner shaft is concentric with the shaft 13 having an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of the shaft 13. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the inner shaft 40 is provided with spaced keyways 56 with one pair adjacent each axial extremity of the outer shaft 13. Each pair of keyways 56 comprises one keyway spaced about 180 from the other. The outer shaft 13 is provided with opposed keyways 57 each of which extends the full longitudinal length of the shaft 13. A key 58 is seated in each of the keyways 56 and each key has a portion received in the keyways 57. The keys 58 unite the inner and outer shafts for joint rotation. Each key 58 is snugly received in the keyways 56 so there is substantially no relative movement between the keys 58 and the shaft 40. However, the keys 58 will slide in the keyways 57 and this allows the inner shaft 40 to be moved relative to the outer shaft 13 while the two shafts are being rotated.

The shaft 40 is moved in directions generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the shafts 13 and 46 by an arrangement comprising a bearing mount 60 which is attached to a sliding block 61 through an arm 62. The block 61 moves in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the shafts 13 and 40 between the channel bars 63 which are mounted in fixed position on the support plate 36. Movement of the block 61 is controlled by turning the shaft 64 which rotates the pinion gear 65 which turns the bevel gear 66. Attached to the bevel gear 66 for rotation therewith is a column 67 which is threadedly received in the block 61. One end of the arm 62 is secured to the block 61 by the bolts 68. At its other end, the arm 62 has a cavity defined by a generally cylindrical wall 69. The outer race of the bearing 70 is seated in the cavity by frictional engagement against the wall 69 and retained therein by the lower axial extremity of the member 71 which is secured to the arm 62. The inner race of the bearing 70 is seated on the generally cylindrical outer surface 72 of the inner shaft 40 and secured thereon between a shoulder 73 formed by the generally cylindrical surfaces 72 and 74 of different outside diameters and the lock nut 75. The movement of the shaft 40 in the upward direction is limited by the shoulder 76 on the shaft 40 and the shoulder 77 on the shaft 13. The movement of the shaft 40 in the downward direction would be limited by contact between the lower surface of the arm 62 and the upper axial extremity of the shaft 13. However, it is seldom that the rotor 12 would be adjusted to these extreme positions. In actual practice, the shaft 40 has a range of adjustments of about inch.

In operation, the apparatus is installed beneath a glass melting tank and a suitable rotor 12 is secured to the shaft 40. The shaft 64 is rotated to move the shaft 40 and, therefore, the rotor 12 to a predetermined position relative to the attenuating means. The rotation of the rotor is commenced and the attenuating means is ignited. Molten glass is deposited onto the rotor and urged outwardly by centrifugal force through the openings 80 in the peripheral wall 81 to form filaments of molten glass. These filaments are contacted by the hot gaseous blast from the attenuating means which blast is moving in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the filaments to attenuate the filaments into fine fibers. A sample of the fibers being formed is examined and if the fibers are too coarse, the shaft 64 is rotated to move the inner shaft 40 in a direction parallel to its axis of rotation so as to move the rotor, and, therefore, the filaments of molten glass closer to the attenuating means. Therefore, the filaments enter the hot gaseous blast at an area of higher temperature and higher velocity. If the rotor is too close to the attenuating means, the shaft 64 is rotated so as to move the rotor away from the attenuating means. Thus, with the instant invention, the spacing between the filaments of molten glass issuing from the rotor and the attenuating means may be adjusted without interrupting the fiberizing process.

While the invention has been described in rather full detail, it will be understood that these details need not be strictly adhered to and that various changes and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, all falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims.

What we claim is:

1. Method for producing fibrous material comprising:

(a) providing a rotor having a peripheral wall having a plurality of openings therein,

(b) rotating said rotor about an axis,

(c) depositing molten material onto said rotor to bev urged outwardly by centrifugal force through said openings to form a plurality of filaments of said. molten material,

(d) providing an attenuating means for producing an attenuating blast moving in a direction transverse to the movement of said filaments for attenuating said filaments into fibers,

(e) collecting a quantity of said fibers and measuring their diameters, and

(f) adjusting the spacing between said rotor and said attenuating means relative to the measured fiber diameter to control the diameter of said fibers.

2. Apparatus for producing fibrous material comprising:

(a) a rotor mounted on a shaft having a peripheral wall having a plurality of openings therein,

(b) means for rotating said rotor about an axis,

(0) means for depositing molten material onto said rotor to be urged outwardly through said openings to form a plurality of filaments of said molten material,

(d) means spaced from said rotor for producing an attenuating blast moving in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of said filaments for attenuating said filaments into fibers, and

(e) means comprising a movable shaft for varying the spacing between said rotor and said means for producing said attenuating blast.

3. Apparatus for producing fibrous material comprising:

(a) a rotor mounted on a shaft having a peripheral wall having a plurality of openings therein,

(b) means for rotating said rotor about an axis,

(c) means for depositing molten material onto said rotor to be urged outwardly through said openings to form a plurality of filaments of said molten material,

(d) means spaced from said rotor for producing an attenuating blast moving in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of said filaments for attenuating said filaments into fibers, and

(e) means comprising a movable shaft for moving said rotor in a direction parallel to said axis of rotation to vary the spacing between said rotor and said means for producing said attenuating blast.

4. Apparatus for producing fibrous material comprising:

(a) a rotor having a peripheral wall having a plurality of openings therein,

(b) means for rotating said rotor about an axis,

(0) means for depositing molten material onto said rotor to be urged outwardly through said openings to form a plurality of filaments of said molten material,

(d) means spaced from said rotor for producing an attenuating blast moving in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of said filaments for attenuating said filaments into fibers, and

(e) means for moving said rotor in a direction parallel to said axis of rotation to vary the spacing between said rotor and said means for producing said attenuating blast including 5 (1) an inner and an outer shaft in coaxial relationship, (2) means for mounting said rotor on said inner shaft, (3) means for uniting said shafts for joint rotation, and (4) means for moving said inner shaft relative to said outer shaft in a direction parallel to said axis of rotation during the rotation of said shafts. 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for producing said attenuating blast comprises:

(a) an annular combustion chamber having an an- 6 nular orifice through which said attenuating blast issues, (b) said annular orifice having an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of said rotor, and (c) said combustion chamber and said annular orifice having axes coincident with the axes of said shafts.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,190,736 6/1965 Bonner 65-15 DONALL H. SYLVESTER, Primary Examiner. R. L. LINDSAY, Assistant Examiner. 

